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graduate program

Theology

Boston College offers exceptional resources for Catholic and ecumenical study of all fields of theology. The Department of

Theology provides students with the knowledge and skills necessary for reasoned reflection on their own values, faith and tradition, as well as on the religious forces that shape our world. Boston College offers unusual resources for Catholic and ecumenical study in all areas of theology. Not only is the Department of Theology considered one of the foremost such departments in the country, but the city of Boston is also one of the richest environments in the world for the study of theology.

The Boston Theological Interreligious Consortium (BTI), a consortium of theology faculties primarily in the Boston-Newton-Cambridge area, has as its constituent members the following institutions: Boston College Department of Theology, Boston College School of Theology and Ministry, Boston University School of Theology, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, Hartford Seminary, Harvard Divinity School, Hebrew College, Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology and St. John’s Seminary and Theological Institute. This consortium offers complete cross-registration in several hundred courses, the use of library facilities in the nine schools, joint seminars and programs and faculty exchange programs (bostontheological.org).

welcome to graduate theology

contentsFaculty 3

Courses 9

Outcomes 10

Academic Resources 11

Student Life & Campus Resources 12

Admission & Financial Information 14

Ph.D. ProgramThe goal of the doctoral program in theology is the

formation of theologians who excel intellectually in

the church, the academy and society. It is confessional

in nature and envisions theology as “faith seeking

understanding.” Accordingly, the program aims at

nourishing a community of faith, scholarly conversation,

and research and teaching centered in the study of

Christian life and thought, past and present, in ways

that contribute to this goal. It recognizes that creative

theological discussion and specialized research

require serious and in-depth appropriation of the great

philosophical and theological traditions of the past, as

well as ecumenical, interdisciplinary, inter-religious and

cross-cultural cooperation.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Students are expected to acquire a rigorous mastery of

the Judeo-Christian tradition, enabling them to critically

probe the foundations of various theological positions.

Students are expected to command the tools and

techniques of research particular to their field and to

organize and integrate their knowledge in such a way as

to make an original contribution to the academic study

of theology.

Students are expected to engage in ecumenical, inter-

religious, interdisciplinary and cross-cultural academic

conversation as appropriate to their discipline.

Students are expected to acquire the skills and

competencies necessary to present papers at appropriate

academic conferences and to publish the results of their

research in respected peer-reviewed journals.

Students are expected to acquire the skills and

competencies necessary to succeed not only as active

scholars, but also as effective teachers.

program overview

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welcome to graduate theologyAREAS OF SPECIALIZATION

Students in the doctoral program focus their studies

in one of five major areas: Historical Theology/History

of Christianity, Systematic Theology, Biblical Studies,

Theological Ethics or Comparative Theology.

The Historical Theology/History of Christianity (HT/HC)

area studies past theological reflection on the faith

and practice of the Church. The HT/HC area strives

to appreciate these theological expressions both within

their immediate historical contexts (social, cultural,

institutional) and within the broader trajectories

of theological development in the Christian tradition.

Systematic Theology is the contemporary intellectual

reflection on the content of divine revelation as an

interrelated whole. The program fosters the capacity to

treat theological material systematically, constructively

and contextually, according to methods that attend to

the coherence and interconnectedness of the elements

of the Christian tradition, take responsibility for the

tradition’s ongoing development and address diverse

cultural situations. Special attention is given to the

historical development of Christian thought and doctrine,

its intellectual cogency, its role and significance within

different cultural contexts, its contemporary expressions

from different theological perspectives and newly

emergent questions.

The Biblical Studies area focuses on the canonical books of

the Bible, both within their historical and cultural worlds

and in relation to their reception within the Christian

and Jewish traditions. All students acquire a thorough

competency in both the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible and

the New Testament, including competency in Hebrew,

Aramaic and Greek. Students may learn other ancient

languages and literatures as their research requires.

The comprehensive exams cover the whole Bible, with

emphasis on either the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible or

the New Testament, and include a specialized exam in an

area of study pertinent to the student’s dissertation.

Theological Ethics includes the ecumenical study of major

Christian ethicists and attends to the Biblical foundations,

philosophical contributions, socio-political contexts

and theological interpretations of ethics. The program

encompasses the historical development of traditions

in Christian ethics, including the natural law and virtue

ethics. It also includes a strong social ethics component

as well as offerings in applied ethics. The exploration

of contemporary ethics is set in a critical, historical

perspective and encourages attention to the global,

multicultural and public character of the Christian

community.

Comparative Theology involves faith seeking

understanding in constructive dialogue with another

religious tradition. Students are expected to acquire

significant expertise in a religion other than their own, as

well as a solid grounding in a particular area of theology

(ethics, biblical studies, historical theology or systematic

theology). Equipped with the methodological tools of the

comparative study of religion, as well as a critical self-

awareness of theology of religions, students will reflect

on a particular theological question or problem in their

own religious tradition through constructive engagement

with analogous ideas or practices in the other tradition.

This will prepare them to teach courses in Christian

theology and in their non-Christian religious tradition,

as well as in interreligious dialogue and comparative

theology, more generally.

M.A. Joint Program in Philosophy and TheologyDrawing on the resources of major departments and

distinguished authorities in each field, and situated at

the heart of a prominent Jesuit, Catholic university, this

program is structured around distinct concentrations

that address major areas of common concern to the

two fields, and explores their historical, systematic and

disciplinary relations. Students develop a program of

study in discussion with an academic advisor and take

courses in the standard graduate programs offered by the

Philosophy and Theology departments. Concentrations

include: Faith, Science and Philosophy; Foundations

in Philosophy and Theology; Medieval Philosophy and

Theology; and Philosophy and Religions.

This program is designed to address the various interests

of students who wish to augment graduate study of

philosophy with greater exposure to theology or graduate

study of theology with greater exposure to philosophy;

plan to teach or are currently teaching in private

secondary schools; or simply feel in need of intellectual

enrichment.

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faculty profilesamey victoria adkins jonesAssistant Professor

Ph.D., Duke University

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Mariology, theological anthropology, iconography and visual theory, womanist theology and Black feminist thought, human trafficking, prison industrial complex

RECENT PUBLICATIONS:

“Black/Feminist Futures: Reading Beauvoir in Black Skin, White Masks.” South Atlantic Quarterly 112(4) (2013): 697-723. “From Crib to Cage: The Theological Calculus of Solitary Confinement.” The Muslim World 103(2) (2013): 209-22.

lisa sowle cahillJ. Donald Monan Professor

Ph.D., University of Chicago

RESEARCH INTERESTS

History of Christian ethics; Christology and ethics; Catholic social teaching and globalization; gender equality; bioethics; war and peacebuilding

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

Blessed Are the Peacemakers: Pacifism, Just War, and Peacebuilding (Georgetown University Press, 2019). Theology and Praxis of Gender Equality (Dharmaram Press, 2018). “Catholic Social Teaching as Political Theology.” In Cambridge

Companion to Political Theology, eds. E. Phillips and C. Hovey (Cambridge University Press, 2016). “Renegotiating Aquinas: Catholic Feminist Ethics, Postmodernism, Realism, and Faith.” Journal of Religious Ethics 43 (2015): 193-217. Global Justice, Christology, and Christian Ethics (Cambridge University Press, 2013).

jeffrey l. cooley Associate Professor, Undergraduate Program Director

Ph.D., Hebrew Union College, Jewish Institute of Religion

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Hebrew Bible and its ancient Near Eastern context; the intersection of ancient scholarship and literature; intellectual history of ancient Israel and Mesopotamia, divination in the ancient Near East

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

Poetic Astronomy in the Ancient Near East: The Reflexes of

Celestial Science in Ancient Mesopotamian, Ugaritic, and Israelite

Narrative (History, Archaeology, and Culture of the Levant, Book 5) (Eisenbrauns, 2013). “Judean Onomastic Hermeneutics in Context.” Harvard

Theological Review 112 (2019): 184-208. “Judean Scribalism, Documentary Epistemology, and the Name In“The Scaffolding of Our Thoughts”: Essays on Assyriology ”.לארׂשי

and the History of Science in Honor of Francesca Rochberg (Ancient Magic and Divination, Volume 13), eds. C.J. Crisostomo, E.A. Escobar, T. Tanaka and N. Veldhuis (Brill, 2018).

boyd taylor coolmanProfessor

Ph.D., University of Notre Dame

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Medieval Catholicism; Victorine and early Franciscan traditions; emergence of scholastic theology; medieval mystical theologies

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

Knowledge, Love and Ectasy in Thomas Gallus (Oxford University Press, 2017). “On the Subject Matter of Theology in the Summa halensis and St. Thomas Aquinas.” The Thomist 79 (2015): 439-66. “The Comprehensive Scope of Classical Christology in the Twelfth-Century.” The Thomist 78(2) (2014): 219-45. “In Whom I am Well Pleased: Hugh of St. Victor’s Trinitarian Aesthetics.” Pro Ecclesia 23(3) (2014): 331-54. “Hugh of St. Victor’s Influence on the Halensian Definition of Theology.” Franciscan Studies 70 (2012): 367-84.

catherine cornille Newton College Alumnae Chair in Western Culture

Ph.D., Catholic University of Leuven

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Comparative theology; theology of religions; interreligious dialogue; religious hybridity; concrete questions in the Hindu-Christian and Buddhist-Christian dialogues

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

Meaning and Method in Comparative Theology (Wiley, 2019). “Beauty and Truth in Christian Theology of Religions.” In Finding Beauty in the Other, eds. P. Casarella and M. Sirry (Crossroads, 2019). “The Problem of Choice in Comparative Theology.” In How

to do Comparative Theology, eds. F. Clooney and K. von Stosch (Fordham University Press, 2018). “Soteriological Agnosticism and the Future of Theology of Interreligious Dialogue.” In The Past, Present and Future of

Theologies of Interreligious Dialogue, eds. T. Merrigan and J. Friday (Oxford University Press, 2017). Ed., The Wiley-Blackwell Companion to Inter-religious Dialogue (Wiley-Blackwell, 2013). Ed., Women and Interreligious Dialogue (Wipf and Stock, 2013).

john a. darr Associate Professor

Ph.D., Vanderbilt University

RESEARCH INTERESTS

New Testament, specifically, the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles; literary criticism and theory; Biblical characters and characterization; synoptic relations

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RECENT PUBLICATIONS

“Levi’s Banquet (Luke 5:29-39) and Lukan Discipleship: Group Characters and Christian Identity Formation.” In Characters and

Characterization in Luke-Acts, eds. F.E. Dicken and J.A. Snyder (T&T Clark, 2016). “Narrative Therapy: Treating Audience Anxiety through Psychagogy in Luke.” Perspectives in Religious Studies 39(4) (2012): 335-48. “‘Be not anxious’: Reading Martha and Mary (Lk. 10.38-42) Within Luke’s Overall Discourse on Anxiety.” In Reading

Ideologies: Essays on the Bible and Interpretation in Honor of Mary

Ann Tolbert (Bible in the Modern World 40), ed. T. Liew (Sheffield Phoenix Press, 2011).

richard r. gaillardetzDepartment Chairperson, Joseph Professor of Theology


RESEARCH INTERESTS

Ecclesiology; Vatican II; authority and ministry; ecumenism

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

By What Authority: Foundations for Understanding Authority in

the Church (revised and expanded edition, Liturgical Press, 2018). Co-ed., Go Into the Streets! The Welcoming Church of Pope Francis

(Paulist Press, 2016). An Unfinished Council: Vatican II, Pope Francis and the Renewal

of Catholicism (Liturgical Press, 2015). Co-ed., A Church with Open Doors: Catholic Ecclesiology for the

Third Millennium (Liturgical Press, 2015). Co-author, Keys to the Council: Unlocking the Teaching of Vatican

II (Liturgical Press, 2012).

yonder gillihan Associate Professor


RESEARCH INTERESTS

Dead Sea Scrolls; Matthew and Paul; apocalypticism; Christian origins within the context of Jewish sectarianism in the late Second Temple period

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

“Civic Ideology, Organization, and Law in the Rule Scrolls: A Comparative Study of the Covenanters’ Sect and Contemporary Voluntary Associations in Political Context.” In Studies on the

Texts of the Desert of Judah, ed. F.G. Martínez (Brill, 2012). “The רג Who Wasn’t There: Fictional Aliens in the Damascus Rule.” Revue de Qumran 98 (2011): 257-305. “Associations.” In Eerdmans Dictionary of Early Judaism, eds. J. Collins and D. Harlow (Eerdmans, 2010). “Posture or Gesture? A Note on חושל/חשל in the Qumran Penal Codes.” Revue de Qumran 94 (2009): 291-96.

kristin heyerProfessor, Graduate Program Director

Ph.D., Boston College

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Catholic social thought; migration ethics; conscience and moral agency

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

Co-ed., Building Bridges in Sarajevo: The Plenary Papers From

Ctewc 2018 (Orbis Press, 2019). Co-ed., Public Theology and the Global Common Good: The

Contribution of David Hollenbach, SJ (Orbis Press, 2016). Co-ed., Conscience and Catholicism: Rights, Responsibilities and

Institutional Responses (Orbis Press, 2015). Kinship Across Borders: A Christian Ethic of Immigration (Moral Traditions series) (Georgetown University Press, 2012). Co-ed., Catholics and Politics: The Dynamic Tension Between Faith

and Power (Georgetown University Press, 2008). Prophetic and Public: The Social Witness of U.S. Catholicism (Moral Traditions series) (Georgetown University Press, 2006).

michael himes Professor


RECENT PUBLICATIONS

Ongoing Incarnation: Johann Adam Möhler and the Beginnings of

Modern Ecclesiology (Crossroad Herder, 1997). Co-ed., The Legacy of the Tübingen School: The Relevance

of Nineteenth-Century Theology for the Twenty-First Century (Crossroads, 1997). Johann Sebastian Drey: A Brief Introduction to the Study of

Theology (translation and introduction) (University of Notre Dame Press, 1994).

kenneth r. himes, o.f.m. Professor

Ph.D., Duke University

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Catholic social teaching and political economy; ethical issues in war and peacebuilding; fundamental moral theology; Christianity in American public life

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

“Catholic Social Teaching, Economic Inequality, and American Society.” Journal of Religious Ethics 47(2) (forthcoming, 2019). “Catholic Social Teaching in a Church That Is Both Local and Universal.” In The Catholic Ethicist in the Local Church, eds. A. Autiero and L. Magesa (Orbis Books, 2018). “Humanitarian Intervention and Catholic Political Thought: Moral and Legal Perspectives.” Journal of Catholic Social Thought

15(1) (2018): 139-69. Co-ed., Modern Catholic Social Teaching: Commentaries and

Interpretations (2nd rev. ed.,Georgetown University Press, 2017). Drones and the Ethics of Targeted Killing (Rowman and Littlefield, 2016).

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faculty profiles

mary ann hinsdale, i.h.m. Associate Professor

Ph.D., University of St. Michael’s College, Toronto

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Ecclesiology, Christology, theological anthropology and feminist theologies; multidisciplinary approaches to Catholic Studies; use of participatory action research in theological reflection on the U.S. Catholic experience; Mary Magdalene as a resource for women’s ecclesial leadership

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

“Vatican II and Feminism: Recovered Memories and Refreshed Hopes.” Toronto Journal of Theology 32(2) (2016): 251-72. “A Feminist Reflection on Postconciliar Catholic Ecclesiology.” In A Church With Open Doors: Catholic Ecclesiology for the Third

Millennium, eds. R.Gaillardetz and E. Hahnenberg (Liturgical Press, 2015). “St. Mary of Magdala: Ecclesiological Provocations.” CTSA

Proceedings (2011). Women Shaping Theology (Paulist Press, 2006). “Infinite Openness to the Infinite: Karl Rahner’s Contribution to Modern Catholic Thought on the Child.” In The Child in Christian

Thought, ed. M. Bunge (Eerdmans, 2001). Co-author, ‘It Comes from the People’: Community Development

and Local Theology (Temple University, 1995).

david g. hunter Margaret O’Brien Flatley Chair of Catholic Theology


RESEARCH INTERESTS

Patristics; history of Christian ethics; history of biblical interpretation; marriage, divorce and celibacy in ancient Christianity; Augustine and his contemporaries

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

“Books XXI-XXII: Heaven, Hell, and the End of the Body.” In The

Cambridge Companion to Augustine’s City of God, ed. D.V. Meconi, S.J. (Cambridge University Press, forthcoming). Marriage and Sexuality in Early Christianity (Ad Fontes: Early

Christian Sources) (Fortress Press, 2018). “Wedding Rituals and Episcopal Power: ‘Consecrating’ Marriage.” In The Oxford Handbook of Early Christian Ritual, eds. R. Uro, J. Day, R.E. DeMaris and R. Roitto. (Oxford University Press, 2018). “Augustine’s Doubts on Divorce: Reconsiderations on Remarriage.” Augustinian Studies 48 (2017): 161-82. “Rivalry between Presbyters and Deacons in the Roman Church: Three Notes on Ambrosiaster, Jerome, and The Boasting of the Roman Deacons.” Vigiliae Christianae 71 (2017): 495-510. “Married Clergy in Eastern and Western Christianity.” In A

Companion to Priesthood and Holy Orders in the Middle Ages, eds. G. Peters and C.C. Anderson (E.J. Brill, 2016). “Sacred Space, Virginal Consecration, and Symbolic Power: A Liturgical Innovation and its Implications in Late Ancient Christianity.” In Spaces in Late Antiquity: Cultural, Theological, and

Archaeological Perspectives, eds. J. Day, R. Hakola, M. Kahlos and U. Tervahauta (Routledge, 2016).

cathleen kavenyDarald and Juliet Libby Professor

J.D., Ph.D., Yale University

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Relationship of law, religion and ethics; public theology, mercy and justice; complicity; religion and rhetoric

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

Ethics at the Edges of Law: Christian Moralists and American

Legal Thought (Oxford University Press, 2018). Prophecy Without Contempt: Religious Rhetoric in the Public

Square (Harvard University Press, 2016). A Culture of Engagement: Law, Religion, and Morality (Moral Traditions series) (Georgetown University Press, 2016). Law’s Virtues: Fostering Autonomy and Solidarity in American

Society (Moral Traditions series) (Georgetown University Press, 2012).

james f. keenan, s.j.Canisius Professor; Director of Jesuit Institute

Ph.D., Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Virtue ethics; Thomas Aquinas; history of theological ethics; public health ethics

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

University Ethics: Why Colleges Need A Culture of Ethics (Rowman & Littlefield, 2015). A History of Catholic Moral Theology in the Twentieth Century:

From Confessing Sins to Liberating Consciences (Continuum, 2010). The Ethics of the Word: Voices in the Catholic Church Today

(Rowman & Littlefield, 2010). Co-author, Paul and Virtue Ethics (Rowman & Littlefield, 2010).

ruth langer Professor

Ph.D., Hebrew Union College, Jewish Institute of Religion, Cincinnati

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Jewish liturgy and Christian-Jewish relations

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

Jewish Liturgy: A Guide to Research (Rowman & Littlefield, 2015). Cursing the Christians?: A History of the Birkat HaMinim (Oxford University Press, 2011). Liturgy in the Life of the Synagogue (Eisenbrauns, 2005). To Worship God Properly: Tensions Between Liturgical Custom

and Halakhah in Judaism (Hebrew Union College Press, 1998).

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fred lawrence Professor

Ph.D., University of Basel

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Topics surrounding political theology; how Christian and other religions can mediate a normative order of values, without which a society cannot flourish and may not even survive

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

The Fragility of Consciousness: Faith, Reason, and the Human Good

(University of Toronto Press, 2017). “A Jewish and a Christian Approach to the Problematic of Jerusalem and Athens: Leo Strauss and Bernard Lonergan.” Divyadaan: Journal of Philosophy and Education 26(1-2) (2015): 217-318. “Lonergan’s Search for a Hermeneutics of Authenticity: Re-originating Augustine’s Hermeneutics of Love.” In Lonergan’s

Anthropology Revisited, eds. G. Whelan and A. Gregoriana (Gregorian and Biblical Press, 2015). “Lonergan’s Hermeneutics.” In The Routledge Companion to

Hermeneutics, ed. J. Malpas (Routledge, 2014).

michael c. magree, s.j. Assistant Professor


RESEARCH INTERESTS

Early Christian scriptural exegesis; theological interpretation of

scripture; history of Christological and Trinitarian Doctrine; 11th-

and 12th-century western monastic theology; Byzantine theology of the Hesychast controversy; theologies of grace and asceticism; eschatology

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

“‘A Higher Consideration’: Eadmer Beyond Anselm on the Immaculate Conception.” In Eadmer Beyond Anselm, eds. S.N. Vaughn and C.C. Rozier (Brill, forthcoming). “Messianic Age: Patristic and Orthodox Theology” and Messianism: Patristic and Orthodox Theology.” In Encyclopedia of

the Bible and Its Reception (De Gruyter, 2009-forthcoming).

john j. makransky Associate Professor of Buddhism and Comparative Theology

Ph.D., University of Wisconsin, Madison

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Researching connections between insight, compassion and devotion in Indian and Tibetan Buddhism; exploring what Buddhist and Christian theologians can learn from each other; adapting Buddhist forms of contemplative practice into accessible forms to help address current needs and support inter-religious learning

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

“A Buddhist Critique of, and Learning from, Christian Liberation Theology.” Theological Studies 75(3) (2014): 635-57.

“Compassion in Buddhist Psychology.” In Wisdom and

Compassion in Psychotherapy, eds. C. Germer and R. Siegel (Guilford Press, 2012). “Compassion Beyond Fatigue: Contemplative Training for Educators, Activists and other Helping Professionals.” In Meditation and the Classroom, eds. J. Simmer-Brown and F. Grace (SUNY Press, 2011). “Thoughts on Why, How and What Buddhists Can Learn from Christian Theologians.” Buddhist-Christian Studies 31 (2011): 119-33. Awakening Through Love (Wisdom Publications, 2007).

mark massa, s.j.Professor

Th.D., Harvard University

RESEARCH INTERESTS

19th- and 20th-century Catholic thought and practice; the tradition of anti-Catholicism in North American public culture; the effects of Vatican II on American Catholic practice and belief; the history of Catholic theological battles in moral theology after Humanae Vitae

RECENT PUBLICATIONS:

The Structure of Theological Revolutions: How Debates Over Birth

Control Changed American Catholic Theology (Oxford University Press, 2018). The American Catholic Revolution: How the Sixties Changed the

Church Forever (Oxford University Press, 2010). American Catholic History: A Documentary Reader (New York University Press, 2008). Anti-Catholicism: The Last Acceptable Prejudice? (Crossroad Press, 2003). Catholics and American Culture: Fulton Sheen, Dorothy Day, and

the Notre Dame Football Team. (Crossroad Press, 1999). [Winner of the ACJU/Alpha Sigma Nu Award for Outstanding Work in Theology for 1999-2001]. Co-ed., Foundations of Theological Study (Paulist Press, 1996). Charles Augustus Briggs and the Crisis of Theological Criticism (Fortress Press, 1990).

gregorio montejoAssistant Professor

Ph.D., Marquette University

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Theology; historical theology; philosophy; Thomas Aquinas; Christology; biblical theology; patristics; late antiquity

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

“In the Wake of Aeterni Patris: The Rezeptionsgeschichte of Thomism in North America.” In Eine Autorität für die Dogmatik?

Thomas von Aquin in der Neuzeit, eds. B. Dahlke and B. Knorn (Herder, 2018). “Analogia Entis: A Symposium, ‘Przywara On Aquinas’ Analogy of Being.” Syndicate (January 16, 2017). “Review: Thomas J. Bushlack, Politics for a Pilgrim Church: A

Thomistic Theory of Civic Virtue.” Horizons 43(2) (2017): 440-41.

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faculty profiles

stephen j. pope Professor


RESEARCH INTERESTS

Love and justice, reconciliation and restorative justice, Thomistic virtue ethics, Catholic social teaching, the relevance of science to theological ethics

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

A Step Along the Way: Models of Christian Service (Orbis Press, 2015). Ed., Solidarity and Hope: Jon obrino’s Challenge to the Christian

Theology (Orbis Press, 2008). Human Evolution and Christian Ethics (Cambridge University Press, 2007).

andrew prevot Associate Professor


RESEARCH INTERESTS

Prayer and spirituality; phenomenology and theology; political and liberation theology; questions of identity; the doctrine of God

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

Thinking Prayer: Theology and Spirituality Amid the Crises of

Modernity (University of Notre Dame Press, 2015). “L’excès cruciforme. Stanislas Breton et la théologie mystique chrétienne.” Transversalités: Revue de l’Institut Catholique de Paris 135 (Oct.-Dec. 2015): 25-42. “The Gift of Prayer: Toward a Theological Reading of Jean-Luc Marion.” Horizons 41(2) (2014): 250-74.

“Hearing the Cries of Crucified Peoples: The Prayerful Witness of Ignacio Ellacuría and James Cone.” In Witnessing: Prophecy, Politics,

and Wisdom, eds. M.C. Bingemer and P. Casarella (Orbis, 2014). “Ignacio Ellacuría and Enrique Dussel: On the Contributions of Phenomenology to Liberation Theology.” In A Grammar of Justice:

The Legacy of Ignacio Ellacuría, eds. J.M. Ashley and K. Burke (Orbis, 2014).

brian d. robinette Associate Professor


RESEARCH INTERESTS

Phenomenology; hermeneutics; mimetic theory; mystical theology; contemplative studies; theology of creation; doctrine of God

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

“Undergoing Something from Nothing: The Doctrine of Creation as Contemplative Insight.” In The Practice of the Presence of God:

Theology as Way of Life, eds. M. Laird and S.T. Hidden (Routledge, 2017).

james w. morris Professor

Ph.D., Harvard University

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Islamic philosophy and theology; Sufism; Islamic humanities (especially poetry and music); the Qur’an; Shiite thought; pilgrimage and popular devotional life

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

Openings: From the Qur’an to the Islamic Humanities (World Wisdom, forthcoming). Approaching Ibn ‘Arabi: Foundations, Contexts, Interpretations

(Anqa, forthcoming). Ostad Elahi: Knowing the Spirit (SUNY Press, 2007). The Reflective Heart: Discovering Spiritual Intelligence in Ibn

‘Arabi’s ‘Meccan Illuminations’ (Fons Vitae, 2005).

david mozinaAssistant Professor


RESEARCH INTERESTS

Modern and late imperial Daoism (907-present), especially its ritual components; modern folk Buddhist traditions and local ritual traditions in rural China; theological questions raised by comparative thinking with Chinese, Christian and secular Western theories of ritual, and their implications for interreligious dialogue

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

“Summoning the Exorcist: The Role of Heart Seals (xinyin 心印) in Calling Down a Demon-Quelling Deity in Contemporary Daoist Thunder Ritual.” In Exorcism in Daoism, ed. F.C. Reiter (Harrassowitz Verlag, 2011). “Daubing Lips with Blood and Drinking Elixirs with the Celestial Lord Yin Jiao: The Role of Thunder Deities in Daoist Ordination in Contemporary Hunan.” Cahiers d’Extrême-Asie 19 (2010): 269-303.

pheme perkinsJoseph Professor of Catholic Spirituality


RESEARCH INTERESTS

Greco-Roman cultural setting of early Christianity, particularly

Hellenistic philosophy and Christian theology in the 2nd and 3rd century (Gnosticism, Nag Hammadi, Irenaeus); Pauline epistles; Johannine writings; Resurrection and early Christian eschatology

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

1 Corinthians (Baker Academic, 2012).

Reading the New Testament (3rd ed., Paulist Press, 2012). Introduction to the Synoptic Gospels (Eerdmans, 2007). Peter: Apostle for the Whole Church (Fortress Press, 1994, 2000).

Associate ed., The New Oxford Annotated Bible (3rd 4th and 5th eds., Oxford University Press, 2001, 2010, 2018) The New Interpreter’s Bible: Ephesians (Abingdon Press, 2000).

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“Deceit, Desire, and the Desert: René Girard’s Mimetic Theory in Conversation with Early Christian Monastic Practice.” In Violence, Transformation, and the Sacred. eds. M.R. Pfeil and T.L. Winright (Orbis Books, 2012). “The Difference Nothing Makes: Creatio Ex Nihilo, the Resurrection, and Divine Gratuity.” Theological Studies 72 (2011): 525-57. Grammars of Resurrection: A Christian Theology of Presence and

Absence (Herder & Herder/Crossroad, 2009).

dieter t. roth Assistant Professor

Ph.D., University of Edinburgh

RESEARCH INTERESTS

The Gospels in the second century; Marcion’s Gospel; textual Ccriticism of the New Testament, the Synoptic Gospels: Q and the Synoptic problem

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

“The Use of Jewish Writings and Their Collections in the New Testament Gospels.” In Authoritative Writings in Early Judaism

and Early Christianity: Their Origin, Collection and Meaning, eds. T. Nicklas, A. Puig i Tàrrech and J. Schröter (forthcoming). “Prophets, Priests, and Kings: Old Testament Figures in Marcion’s Gospel and Luke.” In Connecting Gospels: Beyond

the Canonical/Non-Canonical Divide, eds. F. Watson and S.J. Parkhouse (Oxford University Press, 2018). “Die Parabeln in der Logienquelle: ‘Alte’ Probleme und ‘Neue’ Ansätze.” In Built on Rock or Sand? Q Studies: Retrospects,

Introspects and Prospects (Biblical Tools and Studies 34), eds. C. Heil, G. Harb and D. Smith (Peeters, 2018). The Parables in Q (The Library of New Testament Studies 582) (T&T Clark, 2018). “Marcion’s Gospel and the History of Early Christianity: The Devil is in the (Reconstructed) Details,” Zeitschrift für antikes

Christentum 21 (2017): 25-40. The Text of Marcion’s Gospel (New Testament Tools, Studies, and Documents 49) (Brill, 2015).

margaret a. schatkin Associate Professor

Ph.D., Fordham University; Th.D., Princeton Theological Seminary

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Translation of the Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew of St. John Chrysostom for The Society of Biblical Literature; writings from the Greco-Roman World (WGRW), in their subseries of translations of Chrysostom’s exegetical homilies on the New Testament.

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

“The Origenism of St. John Chrysostom in the West from St. Jerome to the Present.” In Origeniana Undecima: Origen and

Origenism in the History of Western Thought, ed. A.-C. Jacobsen (Series: Bibliotheca Ephemeridum Theologicarum Lovaniensium, vol. 279) (Peeters, 2016). “New Perspectives on the Christology of St. John Chrysostom.” In Pascha Nostum Christus: Essays in Honor of Raniero Cantalamessa, eds. P.F. Beatrice and B. Pouderon (Beauchesne, 2016). “Review: J. Albert Harrill, Paul the Apostle: His Life and Legacy in

their Roman Context.” The Ancient World: A Scholarly Journal for the

Study of Antiquity 46 (2016): 59-61. “Review: B.J. Oropeza, S. Moyise, eds. Exploring Intertextuality:

Diverse Strategies for New Testament Interpretation of Texts.” Choice:

Current Review for Academic Libraries 54 (9) (May 2017).

david vanderhooft Associate Professor


RESEARCH INTERESTS

Hebrew Scriptures, especially the Former and Latter Prophets; historical, cultural, theological and comparative analyses of ancient Israel’s literature; the relationship between Israel and the ancient empires of Assyria and Babylonia

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

“Depictions of םידשכ ‘Chaldeans’ in Judean Prophecy and Historiography.” In “Now It Happened in Those Days”: Studies in

Biblical, Assyrian and Other Ancient Near Eastern Historiography

Presented to Mordechai Cogan on His 75th Birthday, eds. S. Aḥituv, A. Baruchi-Unna, I. Eph‘al, T. Forti and J.H. Tigay (Eisenbrauns, 2017). “The Final Phase of the Common ‘Proto-Semitic’ Alphabet in the Southern Levant: A Rejoinder to Sass and Finkelstein.” In Rethinking Israel: Studies in the History and Archaeology of Ancient

Israel in Honor of Israel Finkelstein, eds. O. Lipschits, Y, Gadot and M. Adams (Eisenbrauns, 2017). “The Name of the Prophet ḥăbaqqûq.” In Cultural Contact and

Appropriation in the Axial-Age Mediterranean World, A Periplos, eds. B. Halpern and K. Sacks, (Culture and History of the Ancient Near

East, Vol. 86 )(Brill, 2017). “Babylonia and the Babylonians.” In The World Around the Old

Testament, eds. B. Arnold and B. Strawn (Baker Academic, 2016). “Ezekiel in and on Babylon.” Transeuphratène 46 (2014): 99-119. “Wadi el-Ḥôl Inscription 2 and The Early Alphabetic Graph *ǵ, *ǵull-, ‘yoke’.” Hebrew Bible and Ancient Israel 2 (2) (2013): 125-35.

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faculty profiles

james m. weiss Associate Professor

Ph.D., The University of Chicago

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Work and career as forms of calling; capstone programs in higher education; history of the papacy and college of cardi-nals; biographical writing in the Renaissance and Reformation

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

Humanist Biography in Renaissance Italy and Reformation

Germany: Friendship and Rhetoric (Ashgate, 2010). “Too Much a Prince to be but a Cardinal: The College of Cardinals in the Age of the Baroque.” In Patronage and

Consumption in Baroque Rome, ed. S. Leone (University of Chicago Press, 2011). “Kennst Du das Land wo die Humanisten blühen? The Role of Italy in the Biographies of German Humanists, 1485-1585.” In Germania Latina …: Politik, Wissenschaft, humanistische

Kultur … (vol. 1), eds. E. Kessler and H. Kuhn (Fink, 2003). “Humanism,” “Renaissance,” “Beatus Rhenanus,” and “Cardinal Stanislaus Hosius.” In Oxford Encyclopedia of the

Reformation, ed. H. Hillerbrand (Oxford University Press, 1996).

jeremy d. wilkinsAssociate Professor

Ph.D., Boston College

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Foundations and method of theology; Trinitarian theology; Christology and soteriology; divine missions and the order of grace; Bernard Lonergan; Thomas Aquinas

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

“Lonergan’s Isomorphism of Knowing and Being: A Reply to Gaven Kerr.” International Philosophical Quarterly 59(1) (2019): 77-92. “The Fragility of Conversation: Consciousness and Self-Understanding in Post/Modern Culture.” Heythrop Journal 59(5) (2018): 832-47. Before Truth: Lonergan, Aquinas, and the Problem of Wisdom (The Catholic University of America Press, 2018). Co-ed. and trans., Collected Works of Bernard Lonergan: The

Redemption (vol. 9) (University of Toronto Press, 2018). Co-ed. and trans., Collected Works of Bernard Lonergan: The

Incarnate Word (vol. 8) (University of Toronto Press, 2016). “What ‘Will’ Won’t Do: Faculty Psychology, Intentionality Analysis, and the Metaphysics of Interiority.” Heythrop Journal

57 (2016): 473-91.

FALL 2019Daoism Mozina

Theology of Religions Cornille

Passover/Midrash and Talmud Langer

20th Century Systematic Theology Himes, Michael

Fundamental Moral: Theological Ethics Keenan

Christian Ethics: Major Figures Cahill

Ethics, Religion and International Politics Owens

Sacraments and Art Bergin

Late Medieval Mysticism Coolman

Theology as Political Lawrence

Intermediate Biblical Hebrew Vanderhooft

Classic Texts in American Theology Massa

Islam and History in the Middle East Delong-Bas

New Testament Ethics Perkins

Theology and Ecology Hinsdale

Priesthood, Celibacy and Authority Ancient Christianity Hunter

Christ in New Testament Perkins

Liberation Theology Prevot

The Pentateuch Cooley

Mystical Poetry Islamic Humanities Morris

Patristic Greek Schatkin

SPRING 2020Theology as Hermeneutical Lawrence

Sacramental Principle Himes, Michael

Christian Ethics and Migration Heyer

Dead Sea Scrolls Gillihan

Patristics: Latin/English Schatkin

Graeca Perkins

Law and Religion Kaveny

Ethics Apocalyptic Times Cahill

Aquinas Biblical Commentaries Montejo

Sustainable Health Theological Ethics Vicini

Theology of Schillebeeckx Hinsdale

Into the Far Country: The Theology of Karl Barth Adkins

Faith in a Post-Religious and Post-Secular Age Robinette

Christian Ethics and Political Economy of Liberalism Himes, Kenneth

Psalms and Cult Vanderhooft

Women and Gender in Islam Delong-Bas

Buddhist Ethics: Ancient and Modern Makransky

courses

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outcomes

Recent Dissertations

2018–2019B. Kevin Brown, “Beloved Disciples in Mission to the World: The Contribution of Sandra M. Schneiders, I.H.M., to the Theology of the Prophetic Nature of the Church”

Justin Coyle, “An Essay on Theological Aesthetics in the Summa halensis”

Stephanie Edwards, “Pharmaceutical Memory Modification and Christianity’s ‘Dangerous’ Memory”

Craig Ford, “Foundations of a Queer Natural Law”

Michael Wahl, “‘Stirred to Virtue by Word and Example’: A Thomistic Account of Moral Exemplarity and Virtue Cultivation”

Jordan Wood, “That Creation is Incarnation in Maximus Confessor”

2017–2018Robert J. Brodrick, “Charismatic and Pastoral Power: A Foucauldian Analysis of the CDF Investigation of Leonardo Boff”

David Clint Burnett, “Psalm 110:1 In Confessional Material In Corpus Paulinum: Cultural and Religious Context”

Ryan Duns, “Spiritual Exercises for a Secular Age? William Desmond’s Theological Achievement”

Charles Thomas Fraatz, “Blessed Is the One Who Reads and Those Who Hear the Words of Prophecy: Rome and Revelation’s Use of Scripture”

David Kwon, “A Study of the Role of

Jus Post Bellum in the 21st Century: Human Security and Political Reconciliation”

Katherine Jackson-Meyer, “Tragic Dilemmas and Virtue A Christian Feminist View”

Samuel Keyes, “Here for Medicine, There for Delight: The Ecclesial Mysteries of the Victorine Speculum”

Joseph Mben, “Empowering Disempowered Working Women: A Gendered African Perspective on Christian Social Ethics”

Megan McCabe, “Sex, Power, and Violence on the College Campus: Rape Culture and Complicity in Evil”

Ty Monroe, “The Development of Augustine’s Early Soteriology – Boyd Taylor Coolman”

Kate Mroz, “No Salvation Apart from Religious Others: Edward Schillebeeckx’s Soteriology as a Resource for Understanding Christian Identity and Discipleship in a Religiously Pluralist World”

Teva Regule, “Identity, Formation, Transformation: The Liturgical

Movement of the 20th Century and the Liturgical Reform Efforts of New Skete Monastery”

Jennifer Sanders, “The Trinitarian Telos of the Summa theologiae: Thomas’s Application of the Aristotelian Ordo Disciplinae to Sacra Doctrina in Light of His Augustinian Heritage”

Clifton Stringer, “Becoming One in the Paschal Mystery: Christ, Spirituality, and Theology in Hugh of St. Victor”

Veronica Tierney, “For Us and For Our Salvation: Revelation and Imitation in Cyril of Alexandria”

Katherine Wrisley Shelby, “The Vir Hierarchicus: St. Bonaventure’s Theology of Grace”

Recent PlacementsOur recent students’ placements have included:

Barry University

Benedictine College

Catholic Theological Union

College of the Holy Cross

College of St. Benedict/St. John

Creighton University

Duquesne University

East Carolina University

Emmanuel College

Fairfield University

Gonzaga University

Heythop College

Humboldt State University

Laboure College

Loyola Marymount

Manhattan College

Marquette University

Marymount University

Merrimack College

Misericordia University

University of Notre Dame

University of Portland

Providence College

Rivier College

Sacred Heart University

Saint Anselm College

Saint Gregory University

Saint John’s University

Saint Joseph College

Saint Joseph University

Saint Leo University

Saint Mary College, Moraga

Saint Norbert’s College

Seattle University

University of San Diego

University of San Francisco

University of Scranton

University of Virginia

Villanova University

Xavier University

Yale Divinity School

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morrissey college of arts & sciences

The oldest and largest of the University’s eight schools and colleges, the Morrissey College

of Arts and Sciences offers graduate programs in the humanities, social sciences and natural sciences, leading to the degrees of Doctor of Philosophy, Master of Arts and Master of Science. In addition, numerous dual-degree options are offered in cooperation with the Carroll School of Management, the Boston College Law School, the Lynch School of Education and Human Development and the School of Social Work.

With approximately 800 students and over 400 full-time faculty, the Graduate School is small enough to know you as a person, but large enough to serve you and prepare you for a rewarding life and satisfying career.

Academic Resources

THE LONERGAN CENTER

The Lonergan Center at Boston College fosters studies

related to the work of the Jesuit theologian and

philosopher Bernard Lonergan (1904–1984). Inaugurated

in 1986, the center houses a growing collection of

Lonergan’s published and unpublished writings, as well

as secondary materials and reference works; it also serves

as a seminar and meeting room. The center is located

in Bapst Library. Boston College sponsors an annual

Lonergan Workshop, which provides resources, lectures

and workshops. For more information, call 617-552-8095

or visit bclonergan.org.

THE BOSTON COLLEGE SCHOOL OF THEOLOGY AND MINISTRY

Boston College’s School of Theology and Ministry (STM)

offers its students opportunities for comprehensive

graduate theological education and spiritual formation

for ministry. The School of Theology and Ministry offers

an array of academic, theological, spiritual and pastoral

courses for ministry, academic specialization and

continuing education in faith.

THE BOSTON THEOLOGICAL INTERRELIGIOUS CONSORTIUM

The Boston Theological Interreligious Consortium

(BTI) allows graduate students to cross-register at

Boston University School of Theology, Gordon-Conwell

Theological Seminary, Hartford Seminary, Harvard

Divinity School, Hebrew College, Holy Cross Greek

Orthodox School of Theology and St. John’s Seminary

and Theological Institute.

BOSTON AREA CONSORTIUM

The Boston Area Consortium allows graduate students

to cross-register for courses at Boston University,

Brandeis University and Tufts University.

BOSTON COLLEGE LIBRARIES

The University is home to eight libraries, containing

2.95 million volumes; more than 700 manuscript

collections, including music, photos, art and artifacts;

625,000 e-books; and more than 600 electronic

databases. O’Neill Library, Boston College’s main library,

offers subject-specialist librarians to help with research,

to set up alerts to publications in areas of interest and to

answer any research- and library-related questions.

THE BOSTON LIBRARY CONSORTIUM

The Boston Library Consortium allows Boston College

students access to millions of volumes and other services

at 19 area institutions in addition to the world-class

resources available through the Boston College Library

System.

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student life & campus resources

Boston College is located on the edge of one of the world’s most vibrant cities. Just six

miles from downtown Boston—an exciting and dynamic place to live and learn—Boston College is an easy car or “T” ride away from a booming center for trade, finance, research and education.

Home to some of New England’s most prestigious cultural landmarks, including the Museum of Fine Arts, the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston Symphony Hall and the Freedom Trail, Boston provides a rich environment for those passionate about art, music and history. For sports fans, Boston hosts a number of the country’s greatest sports teams: the Celtics, Patriots, Bruins and, of course, Fenway Park’s beloved Red Sox. Found within a short drive from Boston are some of New England’s best recreational sites, from the excellent skiing in New Hampshire to the pristine beaches of Cape Cod.

Boston also offers a wide range of family friendly attractions, including the Children’s Museum, New England Aquarium, Franklin Park Zoo and the Museum of Science. There are roughly 50 universities located in the Boston area, and the large student population adds to the city’s intellectually rich and diverse community. Events, lectures and reading groups hosted by world-renowned scholars abound on area campuses, providing abundant opportunities to meet and network with other graduate students and faculty throughout the Boston area.

The UniversityBoston College is a Jesuit university with 14,400

students, 821 full-time faculty and nearly 180,000 active

alumni. Since its founding in 1863, the University has

known extraordinary growth and change. From its

beginnings as a small Jesuit college intended to provide

higher education for Boston’s largely immigrant Catholic

population, Boston College has grown into a national

institution of higher learning that is consistently ranked

among the top universities in the nation. Boston College

is ranked 38th among national universities by U.S. News &

World Report.

Today, Boston College attracts scholars from all 50 states

and over 80 countries, and confers more than 4,000

degrees annually in more than 50 fields through its eight

schools and colleges. Its faculty members are committed

to both teaching and research and have set new

marks for research grants in each of the last 10 years.

The University is committed to academic excellence.

As part of its most recent strategic plan, Boston College

is in the process of adding 100 new faculty positions,

expanding faculty and graduate research, increasing

student financial aid and widening opportunities in key

undergraduate and graduate programs.

The University is comprised of the following colleges and

schools: Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences, Carroll

School of Management, Connell School of Nursing,

Lynch School of Education and Human Development,

Woods College of Advancing Studies, Boston College Law

School, School of Social Work and School of Theology

and Ministry.

General Resources

HOUSING

While on-campus housing is not available for graduate

students, most choose to live in nearby apartments.

The Office of Residential Life maintains an extensive

database with available rental listings, roommates and

helpful local real estate agents. The best time to look

for fall semester housing is June through the end of

August. For spring semester housing, the best time

to look is late November through the beginning of the

second semester. Additionally, some graduate students

may live on campus as resident assistants. Interested

students should contact the Office of Residential Life.

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JOHN COURTNEY MURRAY, S.J., GRADUATE STUDENT CENTER

One of only a handful of graduate student centers

around the country, the Murray Graduate Student Center

is dedicated to the support and enrichment of graduate

student life at Boston College. Its primary purpose is to

build a sense of community among the entire graduate

student population and cultivate a sense of belonging to

the University as a whole. Its amenities include study

rooms, a computer lab, two smart televisions, kitchen,

deck and patio space, complimentary coffee and tea, and

more. Throughout the year, the center hosts programs

organized by the Office of Graduate Student Life and

graduate student groups. The Murray Graduate Student

Center also maintains an active job board (available

electronically), listing academic and non-academic

opportunities for employment both on and off campus.

MCMULLEN MUSEUM OF ART

Serving as a dynamic educational resource for the

national and international community, the McMullen

Museum of Art showcases interdisciplinary exhibitions

that ask innovative questions and break new ground in

the display and scholarship of the works on view. The

McMullen regularly offers exhibition-related programs,

including musical and theatrical performances, films,

gallery talks, symposia, lectures, readings and receptions

that draw students, faculty, alumni and friends together

for stimulating dialogue. Located on the Brighton

campus, the McMullen Museum is free to all visitors.

CONNORS FAMILY LEARNING CENTER

Working closely with the Graduate School, the Connors

Family Learning Center sponsors seminars, workshops

and discussions for graduate teaching assistants and

teaching fellows on strategies for improving teaching

effectiveness and student learning. Each fall, the

Learning Center and the Graduate School hold a one-

and-a-half day “Fall Teaching Orientation” workshop

designed to help students prepare for teaching. The

center also hosts ongoing seminars on college teaching,

higher learning and academic life; assists graduate

students in developing teaching portfolios; and provides

class visits and teaching consultations, upon request.

Through these and other activities, the Connors Family

Learning Center plays an important role in enhancing

the quality of academic life at Boston College.

FLYNN RECREATION COMPLEX

The 144,000-square-foot Flynn Recreation Complex

houses a running track; tennis, basketball, volleyball,

squash and racquetball courts; an aquatics center with

pool and dive well; saunas and more. Its 10,000-square-

foot Fitness Center offers more than 100 pieces of cardio

equipment, a full complement of strength training

equipment and free weights, an air-conditioned spin

studio and three air-conditioned group fitness studios.

During the academic year, BC Rec holds more than 80

group fitness classes per week in a variety of disciplines,

including Zumba, spin, yoga, strength training, Pilates

and more.

BOSTON COLLEGE CAREER CENTER

The Boston College Career Center works with graduate

students at each step of their career development.

Services include self-assessment, career counseling,

various career development workshops, resume and

cover letter critiques, and practice interviews. In addition

to extensive workshop offerings, Career Center staff

members are available throughout the year for one-on-

one advising about any aspect of the career path. The

Career Resource Library offers a wealth of resources,

including books, periodicals and online databases.

student life & campus resources

14

Admission Requirements

Applicants to the Ph.D. program should have

completed the M.Div. or equivalent degree; a

master’s degree in religion, theology or philosophy;

or a bachelor’s program with an exceptionally strong

background in religion, theology and/or philosophy.

The deadline for receipt of applications for fall admission

is January 2 for the Ph.D. program and February 1 for the

joint Philosophy/Theology M.A. program. Please visit

bc.edu/gsas for detailed information on how to apply.

Application requirements include:

Application Form: Submitted online, via the GSAS website.

Application Fee: $75, non-refundable.

Abstract of Courses A concise overview of background Form: and related courses completed in an intended field or proposed area of study.

Official Transcripts: Demonstrating coursework completed/degree conferral from all post-secondary institutions attended.

GRE General Test: Official score report required for all applicants.

Three Letters of From professors or supervisors. Recommendation: It is highly advisable that at least one letter be from an academic source.

Statement of Purpose: A brief (approx. 3 page) discussion of an applicant’s interest in the program and academic goals.

Writing Sample: A sample of an applicant’s best work (usually a course paper or equivalent of no more than 25 pages) related to their proposed field of study.

Curriculum Vitae: A list of an applicant’s academic (Resume) and work experience.

Proof of English Official TOEFL/IELTS reports Proficiency: accepted. (International only)

Financial Assistance

DEPARTMENT FUNDING

The Department of Theology offers full-tuition

scholarships and stipends (currently more than $22,000

per year) for five years to all doctoral students in good

standing. Admitted students may also be chosen to

compete for Presidential Fellowships that add $5,000

per year to the stipend. Students (usually in the areas

of Comparative Theology or Bible) who focus research

on an aspect of Judaism may also be awarded a Jewish

Studies Fellowship, supplementing the stipend by

$4,000 per year.

FEDERAL FINANCIAL AID

Graduate students can apply for federal financial aid

using the FAFSA. The loans that may be available to

graduate students are the Federal Direct Unsubsidized

Stafford Loan and Perkins Loan, based on eligibility.

If additional funds are needed, student may apply for a

Grad Plus Loan. For more information, see the Graduate

Financial Aid website at bc.edu/gradaid or contact the

Graduate Financial Aid Office at 617-552-3300 or

800-294-0294.

admission & financial information

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header

boston collegeMorrissey College of Arts and Sciences

Department of TheologyStokes Hall North

140 Commonwealth AvenueChestnut Hill, MA 02467

617-552-4602E-Mail: [email protected]

bc.edu/theology